He is currently working on a book project entitled George Washington at the Plow and is using the Georgian Papers fellowship to research connections between the agricultural improvement projects of George Washington and those of George III. He is also exploring the British models that inspired Washington's reorganization of farming at Mount Vernon. Dr. Ragsdale has served as director of the Federal Judicial History Office at the Federal Judicial Center and as associate historian of the U.S. House of Representatives. He is author of several works on Washington’s agricultural and commercial enterprises and on the revolutionary era in Virginia. Dr. Ragsdale was a member of the Library's inaugural class of fellows.

The Georgian Papers Programme

The program was launched on April 1, 2015 in the presence of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II in order to digitize, disseminate, study, and interpret the rich collection at Windsor Castle. This is a collaboration between King's College London and the Royal Collection Trust, a charitable arm of the Royal Household - chaired by the Prince of Wales - responsible for the royal family's most significant properties and artifacts. Making this vast collection available to scholars the world over, this project will transform historical research and understanding of the Georgian period and its global impact.

The Programme is part of a wider and long-term initiative by the Royal Household to expand access to primary source material. The intention is to create a rich internet resource open to academics and the public, allowing documents to be searched and analyzed in creative ways.